He's Back

Wasilla swimmer returns for senior season

By DARRELL L. BREESE

Frontiersman

WASILLA - Swimmer Wil Fernandez is a big fish in a small pond, while competing in Alaska.

However, that nearly changed this summer when he considered skipping town before his senior year at Wasilla High School, in favor of a prep school in Orlando, Fla. Driven by the quest for better competition and an improved chance of being recruited by a college program, Fernandez nearly made the move.

But what he found there is that he was a minnow in an ocean of top swimmers, and he didn't like it.

&#8220I know Alaska is one of the smallest states (for competitive swimming),” Fernandez said. &#8220But it's what's best for me at this point of my swimming career.”

Wasilla High swimming coach Bobbie Hamilton is happy to have her team's star swimmer back.

&#8220Everyone was afraid he was gone,” Hamilton said. &#8220I had swimmers calling me all summer wondering how the team would be this year without him.”

Last year Fernandez was the only Valley swimmer to reach the finals in two events at the state championship meet. After winning the Region III backstroke title, he finished second at state. He also placed in the 200 individual medley.

Hamilton admits she would've hated to see him transfer, but she did support him in the decision making process. She encouraged him throughout the process to make the decision that was best for him, as both a student and an athlete.

&#8220He's got some big goals in swimming, and educationally,” Hamilton said. &#8220He wants to go to (medical) school, and prep school could have helped him along those lines. I just told him I would support whatever choice he made. But I'm happy to have him on the team this year.”

The opportunity of swimming at a prep school in Florida, with and against some of the nation's top swimmers, appealed to Fernandez. But his ties to the community and school is what kept him home.

&#8220I went to Florida for several weeks and worked out with the team,” Fernandez said. &#8220But I had a tough time adjusting to the coach's style and missed my teammates and home.”

Taking direction from a new coach was difficult because he has been coached by Hamilton since he joined the Waves - the local youth program - and at Wasilla High School.

&#8220I've really gotten used to her and her coaching style,” Fernandez said. &#8220So having a new coach just didn't seem right to me.”

Back on the Wasilla swim team he never really left, Fernandez has Hamilton and the Wasilla boys setting some lofty goals for the team.

&#8220The boys finished second as a team at the regional championships last year,” she said. &#8220Now their talking about challenging for the top spot, and Wil can help them achieve that goal.”

Success in the pool began for Fernandez at an early age. After taking swimming lessons at 4 years old, he quickly realized that he was faster than most kids his age.

&#8220I was always racing other kids and winning,” Fernandez said. &#8220So my parents signed me up to be part of the Wasilla Waves Swimming Club. I was 6 then, when I started competitive swimming.”

Much to his parents delight, he stressed that his return to Wasilla in no way takes away from his plans to swim in college.

He has been in contact with several coaches from Division II and Division III colleges in the Pacific Northwest, but he is leaning towards Seattle University.

&#8220They've got great pre-med program,” he said. &#8220That's my long term goal. I might even try to walk-on at the University of Washington. I really like both schools because they offer solid academic programs. Plus they're close to home.”

The thought of competing on a top-level college program is both exciting and frightening to Fernandez.

&#8220I think it would be cool to swim in a big college meet,” he said. &#8220But I've heard about the grueling and painful college practices. I'm not really looking forward to that.”

Friday at the Soldotna Pentathlon, Fernandez finished second overall in the five-race competition.

He also won two races Saturday to help the Warrior boys win a five-team meet at Soldotna High School.

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com.